Show Times

“So giddily cinematic that the medium itself practically seems to roll over and wag its tail in approval…utterly hypnotic.” — Dennis Harvey, Variety

“Pure visceral pleasure.” — Jordan Cronk, Sight & Sound

The gloriously explosive extravaganza of the annual fireworks festival in Tultepec, Mexico, is the setting for this documentary offering a non-stop feast for the eyes. This town where three-quarters of the residents are employed in the manufacture of handmade fireworks stages a spectacle like no other, honoring their patron saint Juan de Dios with a forest of fiery towers and tableaus, giant spinning wheels of sparking light, and eye-popping aerial explosions against the night sky. Down in the clogged streets, party-crazed youths seek a veritable baptism by fire by running with the toritos — painted paper bulls packed with fireworks — hoping for a scar that is a mark of the saint’s favor. Director Jakovleski and producer Benh Zeitlin (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD) deliver pure magic in an overwhelming visual experience enhanced by a rousing musical score by Zeitlin and Dan Romer. In Spanish with English subtitles. DCP digital. (BS)